


Walk Through My Garden

by starwarned



Series: Carry On Countdown 2020 [4]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell, Simon Snow & Related Fandoms
Genre: COC 2020, Carry On Countdown (Simon Snow), Carry On Countdown 2020, Carry On Countdown 2020 (Simon Snow), Carry On Countdown Day 4, CoC, Coming Out, DAY 4 - Side Characters, F/F, M/M, Tenderness, side characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27448612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwarned/pseuds/starwarned
Summary: Carry On Countdown Day 4 - Side Characters“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.” - Alfred TennysonAgatha needs a friend and calls Penelope.
Relationships: Not romantically, Penelope Bunce & Agatha Wellbelove, Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow, they're not even in this that much but uh gotta tag em
Series: Carry On Countdown 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026942
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22
Collections: Agatha Wellbelove fics, Carry On Fall Exchange 2020





	Walk Through My Garden

**Author's Note:**

> I read the names of a whole bunch of side characters to my roommates and made them tell me who sounded the most interesting (and they both said agatha so I went with it)

Penelope Bunce is  _ very  _ good at answering her phone. Ask anyone. (Is there such a thing as too good? Answering too quickly and with far too much gusto?) 

And the one moment that Agatha needs her to actually pick up her phone, she’s subjected to Penelope’s obnoxiously peppy outgoing voicemail message -  _ Hi, it’s Penelope Bunce! Leave a message and have a magickal day.  _

Agatha rolls her eyes before doing just that (not the magickal day part. She hasn’t had one of those in a long time). “Hey Pen,” she says. “Just wanted to talk to you about something. Give me a call back. I’d say text me, but I know you’ll just call me.” She hesitates, wondering if she should give Penelope more information before deciding against it and hanging up.

Agatha sets her phone face down on the edge of the counter and sits down on the nearest bar stool. She bounces her leg and leans her elbow on the counter. She bites at her nails - a habit she’s developed recently.

After the events of the summer before last, Agatha made the decision to live by herself - well, with Lucy, of course. She and Ginger still keep in contact - that’s part of the reason Agatha needs to talk to Penelope and made the decision to  _ call her  _ instead of texting. It felt too important. 

Even after Agatha went back home with Penelope, Simon, and Baz, she knew she wouldn’t stay long. She visited her parents, spent a few nights with her Normal friends, gave in to Penelope’s movie night invitation, and packed her wand to go back with her to America. She hasn’t touched the wand since returning, but it’s nice to know it’s there if she really needs it. 

Agatha anxiously locks and unlocks her phone, waiting for the returning call. She knows Penelope is done with classes now (Agatha begrudgingly learned her schedule so she could purposefully ignore her calls) so she should be receiving a phone call any moment now. Her lockscreen is a photo of her and Ginger standing outside Agatha’s new house when she helped her move in. They’re hugging and Agatha thinks it’s the happiest she’s ever looked in a photo. 

The phone rings. 

Agatha gives it a solid few seconds before answering. (She doesn’t want to seem desperate - Penny will take that as an excuse to call Agatha even more often than she already does.) 

“Hey,” she says. 

“Agatha!” Penelope says brightly. Agatha doesn’t have to be in the same room as her to know how big she’s smiling right now. “How are you?” 

“I’m okay, Pen.” 

Penny launching right into conversation. “Good! What did you need to talk to you about? Your voicemail was very vague.” 

Agatha smiles. She does love Penelope - she really does. She’s  _ a lot  _ but she’s always been there for Agatha, even years ago when she and Simon broke up. And even though she knows Penelope is certainly the best person to talk to about this, Agatha starts to get cold feet. “Right,” she says softly. “You’re straight, right?” 

“What?” 

Agatha sighs and bites at her lip anxiously. “You heard me.” 

Penelope laughs a bit nervously. “Yes, I am. Why?” 

“I’m… Not.” 

There’s a pregnant pause. It’s not uncomfortable - Agatha just wishes it wasn’t happening. 

“Okay,” Penelope says. 

“Okay?” 

“You know,” Penny starts (and Agatha rolls her eyes. She knows where this is going). “I reckon I knew.” 

“Right,” Agatha says. 

“I did!” Penny insists. “You and Simon broke up and you really didn’t seem that hurt about it.” 

That’s truly not why Agatha was alright after she and Simon broke up -  _ that  _ had a lot more to do with yearning over a life other than her own and a significant other who didn’t see her as an end goal, a happy ending that he didn’t have to worry about the journey of. But if Penelope really wants to believe that she had it figured out even before Agatha did, that’s fine. 

“Aggie,” Penelope says. “You know this doesn’t change anything between us, right?” 

“I dunno, I was hoping you would stop calling me so often if I told you.” 

Penelope laughs. “I still live with Simon who started dating his  _ enemy _ . You’re just lucky you’re across an entire ocean or you’d never be rid of me.” 

Agatha can’t help but smile. 

“Is it Ginger?” Penelope asks after a moment. 

Agatha can feel her cheeks flush. She hums an affirmation. She’s not sure that she can say  _ yes  _ verbally. “Or-” she finally says, but immediately cuts herself off. “It was her. First. I think I’m in love with most female celebrities.” 

Giggling quietly, Penelope agrees. “Of course.” 

“I don’t know how to tell Simon.” 

Penelope scoffs at this. “I think Simon is legitimately the one person who will understand. As much as I can empathize with you and support you, I am woefully heterosexual.” 

Agatha nods. “Right,” she says. “I have plans to visit my parents for the holidays so maybe I’ll stop by your flat.” 

Penelope perks up. “I’ll decorate for you!” 

“No,” Agatha insists. “Please, it’ll be casual. I’ll stop by for a chat and that’s it.” 

“Fine,” Penny concedes. “Text Simon before you come. You know how he gets when he doesn’t hear from you.” 

“‘f course.” 

“Thanks for telling me, Agatha.” 

“Thanks for listening, Penny. I’ll call you later?” 

“No, you won’t.” 

“You’re right.” 

**Author's Note:**

> explain to me why I made penelope so GODDAMN peppy. sorry this is so incredibly out of character, I just love the concept of queer agatha so much


End file.
